Full of flavour, covered with Colour, and perfect to come home to after a busy days work, this dish is simply stunning. It’s great to prepare in the morning, and leave on for the day in a Slow Cooker if you’ve got the time, otherwise, it’s a great treat to have at the weekend.

The Pigeon Peas that are used are known by a few different names – Gunga Peas, Jamaica Peas and Congo Peas. They’re light brown in colour, with a few darker coloured spots on them, and are very popular throughout the Caribbean. If you’re unable to find these, replace with Canned Chickpeas – the end result will be very similar.

To Serve 6
450g Braising Steak
450g Pumpkin or Squash, diced
1 Onion, chopped
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2.5cm Piece of Ginger, finely chopped
1tbsp Sweet or Hot Paprika
225ml Beef Stock
400g Canned Chopped Tomatoes
400g Canned Pigeon Peas, drained and rinsed
400g Canned Black-Eyed Beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper

1.       Trim off any of the fat from the Steak, and then dice the meat. Heat a heavy, large based pan without adding any extra fat or oil, and brown the meat off in the pan. Stir in the Pumpkin, Onion and Red Pepper, and cook for a minute. Add the Spices, Stock and Tomatoes, and bring to the boil.

2.       Transfer the mixture to the Slow Cooker, cover and cook on a low heat for seven hours. Add the Peas and Beans to the stew, and season to taste with Salt and Pepper. Re-cover, and cook on a high heat for a final thirty minutes, before serving.

Photo Courtesy of: CityMama